Poland marks 90th anniversary of independence

Ukraine`s President attends gala

Poland is celebrating the 90th anniversary of its independence, and its president is preparing to host foreign leaders at an evening gala.

Flags are fluttering across the capital as the country marks the day it regained sovereignty after 123 years of partition and occupation by three 19th century powers: Russia, Prussia and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

President Lech Kaczynski is expected to receive the presidents of Afghanistan, Ukraine and Georgia at Tuesday`s evening gala, as well as other leaders from Eastern Europe and the Balkans. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is also expected for an earlier event.

But Kaczynski has been widely criticized for not inviting Solidarity founder Lech Walesa, a national hero in Poland.